Overview

• Devotees packed Mumbai’s Siddhivinayak temple and Lalbaugcha Raja from early morning as the 10‑day celebration got underway.
• Mumbai Police deployed about 17,600 personnel with drones, a mounted unit, bomb disposal teams and dog squads to manage crowds and safety.
• Schools and colleges in Mumbai are shut for the state holiday, with government offices also closed for the day.
• Recent directives clarify PoP idols are permitted to make and sell, while idols up to 6 feet must use artificial tanks and larger mandal idols can enter natural waters under strict safeguards and seabed cleanup.
• Pune authorities expanded immersion tanks, sanitation measures and eco‑awareness efforts as cities scale up logistics for heavy footfall.